Kelly Creek Flycasters

Riffles, Runs & Lies May 2005

Opening day is soon upon us and the weather is looking great. I’m biding my time until then by restocking my dried morel cache, making sure the camping and fishing equipment is up to par, and making a big pile of flies. In anticipation of the Idaho Free Fishing Day June 11, the Club is holding a cleanup work party at the Lewiston burling pond on May 21. The pond is regularly stocked by Idaho Fish and Game for the budding young anglers among us, and is also used for Zach’s annual kids’ fly fishing classes. If that’s not enough to get you out there, breakfast and lunch are provided by the Club. So, bring your waders, garden rake, energy, and a good chair to relax in.

Pam Rogers, adult director of the High Mountain Explorers group of the Lewiston Boys and Girls Club will be joining us at the May general club meeting. Pam will be discussing what her unit does and possible ways for the Kelly Creek Fly Casters to assist and/or support them. Chris James, this year’s scholarship awardee, will also be attending, so feel free to ask him about his graduate work.

Many thanks to all the members that made our Spring Banquet a success. The bidding was fierce for many of the auction items – at one point Ginny Foote was outbidding herself fairly regularly! The Banquet was the sole fund-raising event for the Club this year, and although I haven’t heard the exact “take” from Fred Smith, I would guess our coffers are looking fairly good.

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For those of us looking for an excuse to get on the water between steelhead and trout seasons, a great opportunity awaits a few minutes from our doorsteps. Swallows Nest Park is a good place to start fly-fishing for carp. The Chief Timothy area offers more varied water however, access is more difficult. The lower Snake towards the dam offers challenging deeper water for stalking cruising fish feeding on the surface. As water temperatures in the local rivers and backwaters edge into the 50’s and 60’s, this import from Europe makes itself available to the fly caster.

Carp are big and strong plus they eat what trout eat and more! In addition to aquatic and terrestrial insects their diet includes crayfish, minnows and even vegetation such as mulberries. They are true omnivores. Like trout they can be selective. In fact, some authors argue carp are more selective than the typical trout. Therefore, they suggest flies need to tend toward more realistic than impressionistic.

Locally our shallow bays and backwaters are home to damselflies, dragonflies and untold other critters. Crayfish abound in the Snake. Generally, smaller is better. My favorite fly for sight fishing to individual fish in shallow water is a take off on the Prince nymph. Tie on a size 14 1X long with the standard peacock herl and gold ribbed body; a bit of brown marabou for the tail; white rubber rather then biots for the wings; brown hackle collar/legs; tie upside down using bead chain eyes so the fly rides hook up as it rests on the bottom. Use very small twitches as the fish approaches.

Sight fishing to cruising fish over deeper water can be extremely challenging. Like trout, carp are after small aquatic and terrestrial insects. My favorite deep-water fly is a size 18 Gold Ribbed Hares Ear nymph fished in the surface film-no movement!

Carp are very shy fish that seem to have a sixth sense for danger. The order of the day is long leaders, delicate casting and a low angler profile. Presentations need to be far enough in front of cruising fish to minimize their seeing or sensing the leader or line. Casts over the fish and up to 90 degrees to the direction of its travel almost guarantees a snub or even a spooked fish. They seem to see the fly line in the air and “feel” it hitting the water.

The fish are abundant and generally willing for the careful angler-a great “in between” season fly fishing opportunity. As with most fishing, some “dues paying” may be required-but then all of us need some humbling now and again. Try it-you may get hooked!

There is a wealth of information on the Internet. Try Google: ‘fly fishing for carp’ for a long list of articles. Dave Whitlock has an excellent article at www.flyfisherman.com/midwest/dwcarp/

The dam tour/ picnic is on for June 18!! This is a potluck so bring your favorite dish and enjoy the fun!! We are to meet in the Lower Granite Dam parking lot around 9:30 a.m. The tour of the dam and fish ladders begins promptly at 10:a.m. and will last until about 12:30 p.m. Then we will cross the dam and proceed to Boyer Park for the picnic. We will be at the Gazebo nearest the road, (the same place we met in 2001).

NOTICE- IMPORTANT!!! Everyone older than 16 years of age MUST HAVE Photo I.D. to cross the dam. There are no exceptions to this!!!.

Directions to Lower Granite Dam from Clarkston. Take Hiway 12 West toward Pomeroy and just past the Alpowa Summit, (there is a rest stop here), take the road to the right. There is a

small sign that says Lower Granite Dam. This road is about 1/4 mile from Alpowa Summit. Just follow the road and the signs to Lower Granite Dam. Please allow 1 1/2 hours to make the trip. See ya there. I will need a head count at the next meeting.

This month’s presenter is Eric Schubert from Hayden Lake, Idaho .

Eric Schubert has been a fly fisher for over 30 years. As an avid fly tier, Eric's patterns are features in many FFF publications. He is a past president of the North Idaho Fly Casters and is a regular contributor regarding the topic of fly fishing to the Coeur d'Alene Press. Eric is the author of North Idaho Trout Flies.

His program is entitled "Fly fishing Opportunities in the North Idaho Panhandle". It will encompass fly fishing opportunities in the Panhandle, Eastern Washington, Western Montana and Southern British Columbia.

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Please post this calendar where it will remind you of club activities. When and if changes occur you will be notified in the newsletter. Mark your personal calendar so you can attend our club functions. Having a good time is what this is all about. If you have an addition or change you would like made, please notify a director or your president, and we will certainly consider it.

ADAMS

The Adams may be the most popular dry fly ever. It represents tying a standard hackle tip wing dry fly.

First wrap a thread base onto the hook to the bend. Note where the thread is hanging, about the center of the barb. This is the end of the shank and where almost all tying should end. It is rare to tie materials on a dry fly past this point.

Next tie in a few brown and grizzly hackle fibers for the tail. The length of the tail fibers extending out from the thread should be about the length of the shank of the hook. Then wrap the thread forward to the wing tie in point. Select two matching grizzly hackle tips for the wing. The hackles will have a natural bend in them, place them so they bend away from each other. Many tiers recommend using hen hackle for the wings as the outline is more rounded and, well, wing-shaped. They are also cheaper so you don't waste a rooster hackle just for a wing.

Strip the barbules off the bottom of the hackle stem and trim the stems so they don't extend all the way down the shank. You want just enough stem to tie down with a couple turns of thread. The wings when standing upright should be about 1 1/2 time the gape of the hook. Tie the wings in laying down over the eye of the hook. Note where the thread ends up on the hook. There is plenty of room ahead of the wing base to the eye for hackle and a head.

Gently pull the wings upright and take a turn of thread in front of the wings at the base to hold them upright. Separate the wings into a slight V shape and take two figure 8 turns of thread between the wings to hold them apart. The wind the thread to the rear of the hook where the tail fibers were tied in.

Dub fine gray fur on the thread and wrap the dubbed thread forward to a position behind the wings. The body should taper very slightly, getting larger toward the wings. Leave plenty of room between the end of the dubbing and the wings to tie in the hackles.

Tie in one brown hackle and one grizzly hackle behind the wings. The hackle should be tied in with the shiny side facing you and the dull side away. Trim the stems so there is just enough stem to tie in securely. Next wrap the thread forward to the tie off position behind the eye. Leave room between that position and the eye of the hook to create the head.

Wrap the grizzly hackle forward taking two or three turns behind the wings and two or three turns in front of the wings and tie off at the thread position. Trim the excess hackle.

Now wind the brown hackle forward in the same way as the grizzly and tie it off at the same position.

Take a few turns of thread to secure things and build a small head. Whip finish then cement if desired.

Riffles, Runs & Lies is edited by Zach Funkhouser on behalf of the Kelly Creek Flycasters. All club members are welcome to submit articles for inclusion into the club newsletter by contacting Zach at Zach-Bach84@cableone.net or by phone at (208) 743-0435.

“If a new man is particularly attentive he can learn to fly fish in half hour. But then he will go on learning as long as he fishes for trout.”

“The true fisherman approaches the first day of fishing with all the sense of wonder and awe of a child approaching Christmas.”

Member & Term	E-Mail Address	Phone Number
Bill Lillibridge, President. 2006	blillibridge@cableone.net	(208) 743-8970
Don Bento, Vice President 2006	bb2bv@clarkston.com	(509) 758-2796
Fred Smith, Treasurer 2006		(208) 743-2390
Bruce Young, Secretary 2005	grizzlyhackle@hotmail.com	(208) 746-7079
Fred Trevey, Board Mem. 2007	trigby@cableone.net	(208) 743-5465
Zach Funkhouser, Board Mem. 2007	Zach-Bach84@cableone.net	(208) 743-0435
Dave Clark, Board Mem. 2005	dcgc@clarkston.com	(509) 751-1266
Stan Masel, Board Mem. 2005		(208) 962-3713
Bob Clark, Board Mem. 2005		(208) 743-1034